


Don't take my sunshine away

by H0use0fPan



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: How Do I Tag, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-15
Updated: 2019-07-21
Packaged: 2020-05-12 14:40:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19231171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/H0use0fPan/pseuds/H0use0fPan
Summary: "Sir Keith, why do people make wars?"The knight considered the question for a few seconds, cautiously thinking about his answer.---------Oceana was at peace. The times of war have been left behind. But something dangeous was lurking in the shadows.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my entry for Bleusarcelle's #LastSunriseContest
> 
> I couldn't finish it the way I want it but I hope people would like it all the same.

"Sir Keith, why do people make wars?" 

 

The question surprised Keith, interrupting his reading. He looked up at the little prince who was surrounded by books and scrolls with tasks he had to do for his lessons. Keith had offered his silent company, reading a novel that Sophia had recommended. 

 

The knight considered the question for a few seconds, cautiously thinking about his answer. Keith had seen the war at first hand and had witnessed the horrors it could bring. Anger, misery, death. All those were the product of war. But the reason for it?

 

"Usually, for power" Keith said carefully. _Greed. Revenge. Hate._ His mind added, but those were too complicated and somber concepts to tell a boy of only nine years old. Keith wanted to preserve as much as possible the innocence of the young prince. 

 

The frown on the boy's face, full of concentration and trying to ponder about that answer, was as lovely as the expression his father used to make, managing to bring a smile on Keith. 

 

"Why would someone create something so bad for power? Wars are awful and unnecessary, Papá always says it." 

 

"And there is wisdom in your father's words" Keith conceded with a small smile. But then he sighed, considering his next words thoroughly. 

 

How to talk to a young prince about the cruelty of the world? How to explain  that the real monsters were not those you had heard in stories, but men of flesh and blood? Keith wanted to protect him from all that. But he was aware that sooner or later, Florian would have to face the reality of the world.

 

He got up from his seat to be able to approach the child. Innocent eyes followed him curiously, and Keith placed his hand on his small shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. 

 

"But in this world, not everyone thinks like your father. There are people who have other ideas. Atrocious beliefs. People who would do anything for power, even something as bad and unnecessary as a war" he said seriously. But then he smiled and ruffled those curls with affection, getting a short shriek from the boy and a giggle. 

 

"However, it's not something you should worry about, Florian. The times of war have been left behind".

 

"Sir Keith, stop! My hair! "

 

Their laughter echoed in the great hallways of the old library. 

 

Yes, the times of war had been left behind.

 

But there were still people in search of power.

 

~

 

Florian had always admired the Knights. Their strength, their courage, their honor and their great ability to protect people. His Papá used to tell him stories about a knight, who was his friend, his companion in adventures and a great person. With those stories he had learned to adore Sir Keith, even before he had gotten to know him.

 

And when Florian had the opportunity to see him in person, he knew that he was in front of the best knight in the whole kingdom. Sir Keith became his guardian, and as in the stories his dad had told him, Sir Keith also  became his everyday companion. And with the passage of time, he got to know the knight more and more in depth. 

 

Florian confirmed how strong and courageous Sir Keith was, but he also saw how kind and noble he could be: he took care of him, worried about Sophia, he didn’t mind playing with Florian and his friends and he was always kind to everyone in the castle. He was loyal to his father, even when Papá never asked for it. Florian had been able to see Keith's loyalty and love silently, in small and big gestures. 

 

He knew that Sir Keith was the best knight in the whole kingdom because he was always going to be there to protect them. And that's why he had asked Sir Keith if he could train him. Florian wanted to be like Sir Keith, a knight who could protect others, protect whom he loved most. 

 

And Florian wanted to believe that he had improved, in these four years. He knew which position he should take in order to defend himself and which was better to attack; he could also keep a better grip on the training sword that Sir Keith had given him. And he had even learned some archery at his father's suggestion, even though he still could not hit the target.

 

He liked to believe that he had become a little stronger, not as much as Sir Keith or his Papá, but he was on his way. At nine years old, that thought motivated him. 

 

But soon he was going to find out that in fact, he wasn’t strong enough; and that, sometimes, even the strongest people couldn’t always protect everyone.

 

~

 

It was in the spring of that year that his Papá had been very busy with some accords with neighboring kingdoms, so Florian had not had much opportunity to see him. Even at night, his Papá seemed so tired when he came to say good night that Florian had restrained himself from asking for stories, preferring not to take his father away from his rest any longer. He understood it was the duty of the king, duty that one day would fall on him. But still he couldn’t help but feel somewhat abandoned.

 

That's why Sir Keith had suggested that both of them went out for a ride, and although Florian didn't feel particularly comfortable when riding as he refused to kick any animal, he ended up giving in. Sir Keith reminded him that a long time had passed since they had been able to get Blue out of the stables and that the mare would appreciate having the chance to gallop freely. 

 

That’s how both ended up leaving the castle, strolling the familiar road to the clearing where they used to go. It was a place that Florian loved to visit when they had the chance, since it was a space for the three of them: his Papá, Sir Keith and him. It was the only place where they found quietness. They used to spend whole days together, free from royal duties. And although at that time his Papá didn’t accompany them, being there filled the young prince with memories that made him smile. 

 

"I know you miss your father," Sir Keith said, drawing his attention. They had decided to rest from the scorching sun under some trees while the horses were taking some water in a nearby stream. "I do too," the knight confessed, and the smile on his face left Florian seeing how tired the knight was as well. 

 

'It must be hard for him too,' Florian thought. And the small admission that he was not the only one who felt in need of his Papá managed to comfort him better than anything else. 

 

"The accords will end soon, and then your father will need a good rest to recover all his strength" he said and Florian opened his eyes with emotion and a smile spread across his face as an idea came up in his mind.

 

"Does that mean bed cuddles all morning? And breakfast in bed? All three?" He asked enthusiastically and the knight returned the smile, nodding. Florian's mood  brightened up.

 

"Do you promise?" Florian said, extending his little finger. 

 

"I give you my word," Sir Keith promised, intertwining his pinkies lightly. And the knight couldn't help laughing when he saw the emotion finally returning to those familiar eyes, glad to see his prince once again with a smile on his face.

 

And so the time went by, Florian thinking about and planning all the things they would do when his Papá was finally free, along with the input and reminders of Sir Keith that 'no, I do not think Manu would appreciate it if we kidnap the king for a few days. As tempting as it is'. It was nice and peaceful, to be able to have time for just the two of them, far away from the castle. 

 

It was almost afternoon before they decided to go back. But suddenly one of the horses neighed, exalting them both. Sir Keith's posture changed rapidly, becoming alert and as he looked to the sides.

 

"What's wrong, Red?" He asked, but before he could get close to try to calm the horse, shadows came out of the trees and Florian's world changed. 

 

In a matter of seconds, men covered in black clothes surrounded them and Florian felt as Sir Keith pulled him by the arm, placing him behind him. He didn’t understand what was happening, who these people were or what they wanted, but Florian felt a great uneasiness grow inside his chest. 

 

"Who are you?," demanded Sir Keith, one of his arms holding Florian behind him while the other wielded his sword, ready to unsheathe it. 

 

The men remained silent, their faces were covered by black rags except for their eyes, and Florian could notice how several pairs were placed on him. Goosebumps broke through his skin and a chill ran down his back. He didn’t like the way they were looking at him.

 

"Give us the prince" one of those who was in front of the group ordered. His voice was grave and coarse, and made the young prince shudder. 

 

He could see Sir Keith got tense, the grip on his arm tightening more to the point that it was beginning to hurt and the fear shot up within him. The horses feeling the atmosphere began to alter even more and Blue shot off towards the castle but Red attacked the strange men, breaking with the formation and galloping directly towards them. 

 

Florian felt himself being lifted off the ground and in the twinkling of an eye Sir Keith threw him on the back of the horse, the boy only managed to hold on to the reins so as not to fall down and try to keep his balance on the animal. 

 

"To the castle, now!" Sir Keith shouted, hitting the back of the horse to move forward. Florian's breathe stopped and before he could say anything Red went off. 

 

His mind was spinning, everything was happening too fast for Florian to follow it. His body was trembling and his head was screaming for him to return, Sir Keith was still there. He was alone against all those men. 

 

_'Papá. Papá!'_ he had to find his Papá soon. He had to warn him so they could go back to help Sir Keith.

But suddenly Red neighed and Florian's world lost its balance as both horse and rider fell to the ground. A scream escaped his lips as his body hit the ground, rolling through the earth and he felt a sharp burst of pain in his forehead when his head hit a stone. His eyes quickly filled with tears and a sob burst in his chest. 

 

Florian tried to raise his head but nausea hit him and returned him to the floor with a moan, everything hurt and he did not understand what had happened. He tried to turn on his side and blinked to wipe the tears off his eyes. Next to him Red's body had fallen on the floor. The horse was moaning and Florian could see with horror how a pair of arrows were embedded in the back legs of the animal. 

 

"N-No ... Red ..." Florian sobbed, trying once more to get up and approach the animal, trying to comfort him. But the screams made him shudder, and it was there that he realized they had not been able to get out of the clear yet. 

 

Florian could see how Sir Keith was fighting with four people at once, and his mouth dried at the ferocity that his face displayed. He had never seen the knight fight in that way, angry and brutal with every blow, every step he took completely calculated to make his opponent fall. It was frightening and amazing at the same time.

 

But suddenly a hand covered his mouth and all his senses become more alert. An arm surrounded him from behind and lifted him off the ground as if he were a feather. Fear swept through his entire body and he responded instinctively, trying to fight against the grip. He kicked and twisted, trying to break free but the grip was too strong and Florian ... he was not strong enough. Not to free himself, or even to protect himself. 

 

His eyes filled again with tears at the revelation and desperation ran through his veins, making his movements more abrupt and erratic. They were taking him away and Florian did not know what to do to stop them. He needed help, he alone could not... Sir Keith. He ... He needed ... 

 

Florian took the hand that covered his mouth and bit it with all his strength. His attacker let out a scream and cursed behind him, withdrawing the hand that had been stopping him from speaking and Florian took a deep breath. 

 

"DAD!" He shouted with all his might, with all the fear that invaded him and all the desire of a child to be back at his father's side.

 

The reaction was immediate, Sir Keith turned to where the call for help had come from and the desperation that crossed his face was quickly replaced by fury. He tried to get away from the men around him, but his attention was now on the prince so he could not tell when one of the attackers was behind him. And Florian watched in panic as the knight got a blow to the head and collapsed.

 

_'No'._

 

"NO!" _This could not be happening._

 

The men began to shout at each other, orders and names that Florian could not grasp. His attention was still on the immobile body on the ground. _No. No. Please. Get up. Sir Keith._

 

"Dad! DAD! "

 

" We have the prince. Let's go now. "

 

It was the last thing Florian could hear before darkness and nothingness consumed him.

 

~

 

The news of the prince's abduction spread rapidly, like fire in dry wood, and the smoke began to cloud with fear the hearts of the inhabitants of Oceana, fear for their beloved prince's safety. But in the same way, along with fear, determination emerged for his rescue. Oceana was not going to sit idly as regards this attack. 

 

Quickly, soldiers were mobilised, old allies were called in and all of them went to the king's request. The times of war had been left behind, but Oceana was still as strong as it had been in the past. 

 

Along with the Blades and Allura, it did not take time to find a clue about Florian's whereabouts. Going west, near the old mountains and in the territory of a neighboring kingdom, the magic of Allura had led them to that place and the Blades of Marmora confirmed the remains of ancient caves at the foot of the mountains that could have been used as a hiding place .

 

So soon a group with the best men and women in the kingdom had been chosen to go to the rescue of the Prince of Ocena. But there was a problem.

 

"Your Highness,  these people are clearly trying to create an altercation between the two kingdoms. You cannot go with the rescue group " 

 

" Manu, I do not care, I'll go and it's my final word ".

 

The argument had been going on for more than an hour, but neither side seemed willing to give in. Others had tried to intervene to make the king understand that it was unwise to join the group that was going to the prince's rescue. But Lance had not heard any reason, he was determined to go to the mountains in search of his son. 

 

Everyone knew that there was only one person who could make the king change his mind, that was why when Manu saw Keith enter the royal office, he thanked the gods and sent a small prayer to them to help him in this. 

 

"Your Highness". 

 

The knight had been found unconscious by one of the guards who had been alerted when Blue had returned without their riders. His wounds had been treated quickly and he had been declared out of severe danger, but his wounds were going to require him to rest. Lance had been there when his husband regained consciousness, had seen the face of his beloved darken when he was able to remember the events that had happened. And Lance could not see him like that, not when his own heart threatened to darken, so he ordered him to stay at rest. 

 

But he was there, at that moment, and Lance knew that look. He knew those eyes better than anyone, he had learned to read them in all its nuances. Lance knew what he had come for. 

 

"Leave us alone, Manu" it was an order that Manu accepted silently, making a salute he left the room, but not before directing a small look of supplication to Keith before disappearing. 

 

"I thought I had ordered you to rest" Lance said looking at him with a frown, before turning and going to his desk, to go back to review the maps of the mountains. Both to prepare, as an excuse to avoid meeting those dark eyes. 

 

"I'm really surprised that you thought I would abide by that order," Keith replied, keeping his distance.

 

"It would not be the first time you decide to ignore what I'm asking," Lance said bitterly. And it was stupid, to start arguing in this situation. It was stupid of him to have said that, knowing that both of them would be thinking the same thing. But Lance could not help it.

 

Every second that passed without having Florian at his side was a torture for him, he never thought that he would experience something like that. Lance was no stranger to pain, he had suffered, he had had his heart broken before. But this? This was pain mixed with terror, an overwhelmingly awful feeling that cooled all his extremities,  consumed him and left him completely frozen, lifeless. It was extreme fear mixed with desperation, the kind that pushed him to leave now and face everything that got in his way to his goal. It was Florian, his son, that was at stake. Lance was going to look for him, no matter how impulsive his attitude was.

 

"Lance," Keith called his attention. Lance had not noticed that he had been silent for so long, looking at nothing in front of him. 

 

"I know what you're going to say, so you can keep it to yourself,  Keith. I'm leaving. "Lance said firmly, settling things on the desk to keep his hands busy and hiding the slight tremor in them. 

 

"You cannot".

 

"Like Hell I cannot! I'm the king so if I say I go, I'll go." Lance roared, feeling his blood boil under his veins. Why could no one understand? How was it that Keith did not understand? He, more than anyone, should.

 

"They are trying to wage a war, I know you understand that" And yes, Lance understood. But something in the knight's impassive face was bothering him. Keith's face was hard as stone, his voice calm and his posture tense. But he was picked up, he was not like Lance, who was two steps away from suffering a nervous breakdown.

 

He did not understand how Keith could be so calm and that instead of helping him, only increased the roar inside him. 

 

"You said it, you are the king. What would happen if  we lost you or Florian there? It would mean the beginning of a new great war, it would mean giving them what they want. " Keith try again, and Lance knew that, he knew it. But he could not afford to do nothing.

 

"I said I'm going and I'll go!" He knew he was starting to scream again, but at this point he did not care anymore. Lance saw with a smug satisfaction how Keith's stoic mask seemed to crack for the first time since he had entered, letting his annoyance be seen with a puckered frown.

 

"You can not! Think of your duty! Think of your people! You can not expose them to this! " 

 

" WE ARE TALKING ABOUT MY SON! "

 

" HE IS MY SON TOO! "

 

And with that the mask cracked and Lance stopped breathing. Because now he could see. The pain, the fear, the despair. Because what was contained in Keith was now in sight, raw and agonizing, consuming hin in the same way it consumed Lance.

 

Because in the silence he could now hear. He could hear Keith's heart breaking into pieces, second after second, a little more with each accelerated intake of breath.

 

Because Keith was a knight, to whom Lance had commissioned a mission. 

 

"Keith," Lance murmured, feeling his throat close to the point of choking him. Keith began to tremble and it only took Lance a few seconds to run through the space between them and wrap him in his arms. 

 

"He's my son too…Lance" his voice sounded muffled,  deep anguish in every tremor. And Lance's heart broke again. _Again. Again. And again._

 

"Let me go. Stay and let me go instead" Keith said and clung from Lance's shirt, his knuckles white with suppressed strength. 

 

_I need to do this._ That's what he did not say.

 

_I cannot risk losing you too._

_I failed once, I need to make it right._

_Please._

 

"Please ... Please, please, please Lance ... Let me go" it was a plea. Keith begged and pleaded again, his face hidden in Lance's shoulder and his body trembling, to the point where his legs gave way and he fell to the ground on his knees, but still he did not stop begging. His tears fell to the ground and he begged again.

 

And Lance was crying too, crying for him, for his son and for his husband. He cried for his own heart, which could not withstand so much pain anymore. Not anymore.

 

"Allright," Lance murmured, falling to his knees beside the man to whom he had given his life. He had given support to both of them, because that was what duty demanded of him, to put others above himself. So he let his tears fall down his cheeks and began to gather his heart again. 

 

"Bring our son back home".


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY BIRTHDAY BLEU!!!!
> 
> omg, I almost didn't make it. I'm so sorry.
> 
> I hope you can enjoy this little gift from me to you. And I hope you have had a beautiful birthday today!!

__ Following the fall of the sun to the west, beyond the limits of Oceana, there were ancient mountains that marked the end and the beginning between kingdoms. Keith remembered going through them, years ago, when the war was still hanging in the air and the armor weighed on his shoulders. Now there was no war, Keith was not leaving behind half of his heart inside the walls of the royal palace and he wasn’t doubting whether he would have a future after the end of that war. No, times had changed. However, the armor returned to weigh on his shoulders and his heart was bleeding again with agony, only this time, the piece that was missing had been stolen. But Keith had taken an oath, an oath to return what had been taken from his arms. To rescue the lost prince. To save his son.

 

The kingdom of Oceana had gathered their best warriors to rescue their prince, people loyal to the crown and their king who were willing to give everything to be able to bring home the child that had been stolen from his home. Everyone was worried about the prince's well-being, but they quickly took their concerns and turned them into determination to rescue him. The plans were made and discussed, they had the advantage of having the magic of Allura and the power of the Blades de Marmora to be able to enter the caves without being detected. Nevertheless, Kolivan feared that the chances of success of the mission would diminish, since he had obtained the information about the true reach of those caves, which extended to the deepest part of the mountains.

 

_ 'They are like a labyrinth, difficult to enter, difficult to leave and very easy to get lost. Most likely the group will try to escape through there if they realize we are over them, so we must be very careful and act quickly.’ _

 

Keith breathed deeply, repeating in his mind the words of his former leader, hoping that they managed to calm his desire to leave everything aside and act under the sole instinct of rescuing his prince. But he wasn’t a child anymore. He was a soldier, a Blade. Even if his heart screamed loudly that he should lash out at the group that had taken Florian away, his mind knew that he must remember his training and stick to the plan. He couldn’t afford to fail this time. Not again.

 

The plan was simple, Allura together with the rest of Oceana’s soldiers would be responsible for attacking directly the entrance of the cave, encouraging the enemy to come out to fight, creating the perfect distraction so that the Blades along with Keith could infiltrate by another entrance that connected with the deepest area of the caves, where they presumed Florian was retained. Simple but the best course of action they could have. 

 

Keith trusted these men and women who accompanied him, he knew them, he knew how good they were. He had no doubt that they could save Florian, that they could take him home. Keith would take him home again.

 

* * *

 

 

Kolivan had been part of many battles before, these had given him the necessary experience to recognize the threat posed by a possible enemy. He didn’t know much about who these people were who had taken away the Prince of Oceana, but he could recognize that they were strong and cunning. They had been expecting them, that was obvious. However, these people didn’t seem to know the tenacity that the people of Oceana possessed. Kolivan knew it, he had witnessed it on the battlefield, in the moments when Keith fired into combat with body and soul. They were good people, led by a good king who had kept them in peace for many years, but like their king, within them you could find a fire that was moved by loyalty and strength. A fire that when provoked, would respond by burning everything in its path. And that was something his enemies were about to find out. 

 

By the sound coming from the entrance to the cave, it seemed that the group of Allura had everything under control, and that gave them the signal that the plan seemed to be working. Kolivan observe as several black-clad men started to run through the corridors of those old caves lit only with torches that they carried themselves. Orders of action were shouted, echoing from the stone walls to the shadows. Shadows that became like a second skin for his people, for the Blades. In spite of being trained hard in the art of battle, this was where their value really fell, collect information, gain knowledge of the enemy. 

 

It didn’t take long to deduce from the orders they heard, that the prince was being held in the deepest part of the caves, close to what Kolivan knew was the entrance to the underground labyrinth. They acted quickly, moving through the shadows in a lithe way, incapacitating with lethality any soldier who came to cross their path, before they could give notice of their presence. The urgency motivated them to not slow down, they had to be quick if they wanted to get to the little prince before he was taken by his kidnappers again. Even if they were to use the magic of that woman called Allura to locate the prince once more, every minute that the child remained in the hands of the enemy increased the risk to his own welfare. Kolivan was aware of this, and he could see how Keith was coming to the same conclusion, his movements more and more desperate to move forward.

 

But they were already close, just a couple of more corridors and they were finally going to be able to reach Prince Florian. They had been able to advance without being recognized, however, their enemies were clever and a group of soldiers were waiting for them. The clash between swords was now what bounced against the stone walls, while the shadows of bodies colliding with each other danced with the little fire that came to give them some vision. Those soldiers were good, but Kolivan could see through the act they were provoking. Their objective didn’t seem to eliminate them, but simply to slow them down. Gain time. 

 

"Keith!" Kolivan shouted, trying to get the knight's attention while cutting an enemy's neck with his blade. He knew that Keith understood what was happening as well and it was enough a brief look between them, so he could convey what they had to do. With a nod, the knight knocked out the man he was battling with and went quickly to follow the path to where they had to go. A couple of bandits noticed the movement and were about to follow him, but Kolivan stepped in their way before they could take another step.

 

"Your fight is with me." 

 

* * *

 

_ Inhale. Exhale.  _

 

The sound of his breathing seemed the only thing heard in the whole tunnel. 

 

_ Quick. Faster. _

 

Each step he took increased the heat that ran through his legs, but he refused to let that slow him down. 

 

_ You can not let them escape. _

 

_ You have to arrive. _

 

His mind couldn’t think of anything other than to advance, to follow, to reach him.  _ Florian. Florian.  _

 

Keith was close, if what those soldiers had said was true, only a couple of meters more and the cave that was running at that time would expand to make way for a small area where it was the camp of all that group. The tunnel was dark, he hadn’t been able to take over any torch when he ran out of the confrontation against those men. But that didn’t stop him, after all, he had become accustomed to deeper darkness than that. 

 

A light began to dazzle at the end of the corridor and Keith had to remember to remain calm. He had to be careful, he couldn’t put Florian's life or his life in danger by lashing out there without any plan. 

 

_ Inhale. Exhale.  _

 

He ordered his mind to calm down, to let his body relax in the shadows for a moment. He was a soldier. But he was also a father. He had to find a balance between the two. Leave his mind cold to complete the mission and his heart burning with the desire to save his child. 

 

He turned his gaze to the end of the tunnel and frowned when he noticed that there seemed to be no movement. It was too quiet and a bad feeling began to form in his chest, causing his stomach to close. Stealthily, he made as little noise as possible until he got to the end of the tunnel, where the cave stretched out into a room that was occupied by a camp, like what those bandits said. But there was something wrong. 

 

Keith's breathing stopped. And the cold wave of terror began to travel throughout his body, numbing his limbs until he couldn’t feel anything else than dread. 

 

There was nobody there.

 

_ 'No. Nononono'. _

 

Pulling caution out of the window, he quickly entered the room to examine the camp. It seemed to have been abandoned in a hurry but there was no indication to where. As he approached the rear of the camp, he noticed three other exits that opened the way to different tunnels. Keith cursed under his breath and went to take one of the torches before approaching the three entrances again.

 

It was really hard to try to stay calm, Keith could feel how with every second his breathing was accelerating a little more. He tried to look for clues, some indication or signal to guide him in the right direction to where Florian had been taken. He knew he couldn’t just take any road, Kolivan had warned him about the labyrinth, but Keith wasn’t able to find any other solution.

 

"Where? Where are you, Florian?" Keith murmured through the knot that had formed in his throat, looking desperately at the three roads as if waiting for them to respond. But they remained silent, denying any help to determine which path to take. 

 

He prayed to the ancient gods to send him a signal, anything that could help him. He prayed and prayed as he had not in years, not since his old nights of battle, where his only wish was to see blue eyes again. 

 

But then, like a response from the gods, a white light appeared at his side taking the shape of a lion. 

 

_ Allura _ . 

 

The white lion turned and began to run through the access to the right, and Keith didn’t take a second to follow him. The tunnel was narrower than the one that had come and took a lot of turns that seemed to have no end. A labyrinth, as Kolivan had said. And if it wasn’t for Allura's magic, he was sure that he could never have found his way through these stone walls. 

 

After what seemed like an eternity, he was able to pick up other sounds besides his accelerated breathing and the resounding of his footsteps. They were screams and complaints. Two voices, one stranger and another so familiar, that made his heart beat faster when he heard it.

 

The white lion let out a roar that shook the walls before disappearing, leaving two motionless people in front of him in fright. Keith did not hesitate, and taking advantage of the surprise, attacked the man who held the Prince of Oceana, managing to separate them. 

 

"Dad!" The cry of the little prince, overflowed by the surprise and hope, was enough to calm the knight's heart. But he couldn’t spend more than a passing glance before turning all his attention to the enemy in front of him. He would not make the same mistake again. 

 

The man didn’t take long to recover, and unsheathing his own sword he prepared himself, before going against Keith with everything. 

 

He was good, despite all the experience Keith had, he was having a hard time getting over him. He tried to stay always between his adversary and Florian, which greatly shorten his range of movement. Keith could feel the small boy's gaze behind his back, and it was both a relief and a worry. Ordering Florian to walk away was a risk, but being there was also a risk. Keith had to win this battle. At all costs. 

 

His enemy tried to hit him from the right but the knight managed to dodge him. However, he took advantage of the moment to go for Keith's legs, causing him to lose his balance and send him to the ground abruptly. The fall would not have affected him so much, but the traumatism in his head left him seeing stars behind his eyelids. He cried out and when he opened his eyes again, his vision was occupied by dark eyes that stared at him with hatred. His sword high in the air, ready to give Keith the final blow. The knight tried to take his own sword, but with horror he realized that he would not be able to avoid the blow in time. 

 

_ 'I'm sorry, Lance. _ ' 

 

A scream escaped from his attacker's mouth and Keith could barely understand what had happened. Florian had thrown a stone that had hit the man near the temple, disconcerting him for a few seconds. And those seconds were all Keith needed to be able to raise his sword and insert it into his opponent's chest. 

 

His opponent’s sword fell to the side of him and the knight saw how the life escaped from that man with every breath. Taking strenght, he rose from the ground watching the other man finally fall. For a few seconds all that was heard was the last breath of his enemy and Keith turned around, not wanting to witness the fact. But then, he felt a small body collide against him, almost returning him to the floor again. 

 

The prince's little sobs were what alerted him to move and the next thing he had was arms clinging to his neck with such force that they were about to cut off his breathing, but Keith found no power in him to complain. 

 

"Dad. Daddy. Dad" his small body trembled with each sob and Keith could feel them in his chest. Or maybe, it was his own body that was trembling too.

 

"Shh shh, I'm here Florian, I'm here, you're.. save" his voice broke at the end, unable to contain his own tears. 

 

It was in that moment, when he was able to say those words and be sure that he meant them, that his body could finally relax. His heart was still pounding, but this time for the thrill of having his son back in his arms.  _ It's okay, he's safe. Everything is fine. _

 

"Let's go home, son."

 

* * *

 

The triumphant return of the group was celebrated throughout the kingdom, the news extending to each corner of Oceana bringing joy and relief to all its inhabitants. His prince was back home, safe and sound. 

 

The soldiers returned being cheered on the streets by all people of all social classes, soon organizing a celebration to honor such a fortunate event. Leading the group was Keith, along with Florian in his arms, receiving praise and gratitude from all his people, feeling once again the love they felt for him. 

 

But before the group even reached the gates of the castle, they opened to reveal a figure that ran faster than the wind. The little prince left the arms of his knight and ran to another pair of arms that received him with the same amount of love as the previous ones. The people of Oceana witnessed the reunion, not between king and prince, but of a father with his only son, and none was left unmoved by the embrace that was given that day. Keith was sure he had seen Kolivan shed a couple of tears. 

 

Little by little, normality was returning to their lives. A group of extremists who opposed the accords between the kingdoms had been the promoter of the kidnapping of the Prince of Oceana, but soon all those who were part of that movement were captured and the accords could be realized, bringing prosperity and a future of peace for all the kingdoms. 

 

And with all that finished, there was only one promise to fulfill. 

 

Keith let out a small sigh, feeling more relaxed than he had in a long time. Settling himself better between the sheets, he adjusted the grip on his husband's waist, slowly opening his eyes and meeting a sight that filled his warm heart with affection. Lance was awake and all his attention was on Florian, who was still sleeping peacefully between them. One of his hands gently caressed those beautiful curls and a gorgeous smile adorned that face he loved so much, his blue eyes were shining with devotion towards his son. 

 

"I know I've told you more times than I can remember .. but thank you" his voice was just a whisper, refusing to disturb the little prince's dream. 

 

Keith took his husband's free hand, leaving small strokes on his knuckles as his gaze fell on Florian's relaxed face. Because of the little frown on his face, it seemed that the boy was not going to take too long to wake up.

 

"You know there's nothing I wouldn’t do for him"  _ And for you _ . He didn’t say it, but he knew that Lance had been able to hear him anyway. With a smile he approached to leave a kiss on the small forehead of his son when he began to open his eyes. "Good morning, Florian." 

 

"Dad, Papá," he muttered, still somewhat sleepy but a big smile spread across his face and Lance couldn’t help but hugging him to his chest filling him with kisses until the room was filled with the small laughs of the child.

 

"Good morning, mi estrella" Lance said giving him one last kiss on his cheek that turned into a raspberry, earning a small shriek with laughter before Florian could escape from his grip.

 

"It's not time to get up yet, is it?" Florian asked, looking at both of them with his best pleading face, taking the sheets and covering his nose, as if fearing the answer they could give him. Keith chuckled, feeling his chest overflow again with all the love he felt for that kid.

 

"No. Cuddles and breakfast in bed, remember?" Keith said, extending his little finger and Florian quickly left his hiding place to intertwine their pinkies with a big smile. 

 

"I love you." Lance's voice caught his attention again, and Keith's heart stopped like every time his husband looked at him the same way he was doing now, with so much love that it seemed like nothing could contain him. 

 

"We love you too, Papa!" Florian yelled, throwing himself to hug his father, and Keith soon followed, surrounding his two biggest loves in his arms protectively. 

 

"Yes, I love you both." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was un-beta and ~~(probably shitty)~~ with mistake. So please tell me if you see one!


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